I-194: The Montana Plan (corporate political spending)Ban political spending by corporations and other "artificial persons" (the Montana Plan)
Read the full text of the measure: Secretary of State ballot issue file (PDF)
In plain words
State law creates businesses, nonprofits and other groups and gives them powers, such as limited liability (owners aren't personally on the hook for debts). I-194 says political spending is not one of those powers. These "artificial persons" could not spend money to support or oppose candidates, parties or ballot measures in Montana. Individuals and political committees could still spend, and news outlets could still publish news and opinion. A group that breaks the rule loses its Montana business privileges until it pays back what it spent and promises to follow the law. It is a state law, so the Legislature could change it later. (sosmt.gov (Secretary of State) )
Before and after
| Question | Today | If it passes |
|---|---|---|
| Can a company, nonprofit or trade group spend its own money on Montana election campaigns? | Yes (U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United ruling protects independent spending) | No; political spending is outside the powers state law gives them |
| Individuals and political committees | Can spend | Can still spend, as law allows |
| News, commentary and editorials | Allowed | Still allowed (unless the outlet is owned or controlled by a party, committee or candidate) |
| Penalty for a group that spends | Not applicable | Loses Montana privileges such as limited liability until it pays back what it spent and certifies compliance |
| Starts | January 1, 2027 |
Numbers from the official ballot title (ballot title ); also see (sosmt.gov (Secretary of State) )
Biggest change
- Artificial persons (nonprofits, trusts, partnerships, corporations, trade associations, unincorporated associations, and out-of-state entities doing business in Montana) would have no power to spend money or anything of value to support or oppose a Montana candidate, party, political committee or ballot issue. source: sosmt.gov (Secretary of State)
- A violator forfeits all Montana-granted privileges, such as limited liability; getting them back requires paying back everything spent and certifying future compliance. Political spending beyond these powers is void. source: sosmt.gov (Secretary of State)
- Does not apply to individuals, the state and local governments, public corporations, political committees, or bona fide news, commentary or editorial content. source: sosmt.gov (Secretary of State)
- The Secretary of State writes the rules; the Attorney General can go to court to enforce it. No fines or criminal penalties are in the text. source: sosmt.gov (Secretary of State)
Who it affects most: Businesses, nonprofits, trade associations and other groups that spend on Montana elections or ballot measures, including out-of-state groups that spend in Montana.
Cost to the state: Unknown. The state's fiscal note (in the Voter Information Pamphlet) has not been checked yet.
Our plain-words summary. Every line points to its source.
What your vote means
Corporations, nonprofits and other groups could no longer spend money on Montana candidate, party or ballot-measure campaigns, starting Jan. 1, 2027.
Groups can keep spending on Montana campaigns as they can today.
Our one-line summary. Montana does not publish an official "what your vote means" statement; the ballot title above is the official description.
Why people want it, and why others object
Why this is on the ballot
Voters put this on the ballot by signing a petition. It changes a state law, which lawmakers can later change. It passes with a simple majority of the votes cast on it.
- Backers want to get around the U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision by using the state's power to decide what powers corporations have. If it passes, Montana would be the second state with such a law, after Hawai'i. source: newsfromthestates.com
- Attorney General Austin Knudsen challenged and rewrote the ballot statement, saying voters could think only corporations were covered. The Montana Supreme Court kept the rewrite but struck one sentence as "argumentative." source: newsfromthestates.com
- Organizer Jeff Mangan is a former Montana Commissioner of Political Practices; a group of former officeholders proposed it. source: montanafreepress.org
Why supporters want it
- Jeff Mangan, founder of the Transparent Election Initiative: "I-194 will literally get rid of dark money in the state of Montana." source: montanarightnow.com
- The campaign's website says corporate and dark money "has flooded our political system, drowning out the voices of everyday Americans." source: montanafreepress.org
- Russell Cleveland of the Transparent Election Initiative: "There's an overwhelming need for reform and to get some regulation around it." source: newsfromthestates.com
Why opponents object
- Todd O'Hair, president and CEO of the Montana Chamber of Commerce: "This is going to silence the Montana business community." O'Hair says it would not stop a wealthy individual from funding a candidate and would leave businesses unable to answer ad campaigns. source: montanarightnow.com
- The Montana, Kalispell and Billings chambers of commerce wrote that a Main Street restaurant "could not support a local levy to improve public safety," and that family businesses could not respond publicly to initiatives aimed at them. source: montanafreepress.org
- The Montana Republican Party passed a resolution formally opposing I-194 and added opposition to its platform. source: mtgop.org
Who backs each side
- For: the Montana Plan campaign, funded mainly by the Transparent Election Initiative, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit (critics say it need not disclose donors; Mangan says it has disclosed them). Endorsers include former U.S. Sen. Jon Tester (D), former Gov. Marc Racicot (R), former Gov. Steve Bullock (D) and Gary Buchanan; the Montana Farmers Union endorsed it. Against: the Montana Chamber of Commerce, Americans for Prosperity, the Montana Mining Association and the Montana Republican Party. Dollar totals not found yet (Commissioner of Political Practices reports not checked yet). source: montanarightnow.com
In each side's own words where we could find them, quoted or summarized with a link to the source. We don't endorse either side.
What you will see on your ballot
Official ballot wording, word for word (tap to open)
The official ballot title, word for word from the Secretary of State's official ballot issue file .
I-194, if passed, limits the powers of artificial persons to those powers necessary or convenient as provided by law. These powers must exclude contributing anything of value to candidate elections, supporting or opposing political parties, or supporting or opposing state or local ballot issues. Artificial persons include non-profits, trusts, partnerships, corporations, trade associations, or unincorporated associations and includes all such entities doing business in Montana. Any violation of I-194 is punished by forfeiting all privileges to do business in Montana. Those privileges may be, but are not automatically, restored upon disgorgement and certification of compliance with I-194. I-194 does not apply to the distribution of news, commentary, or editorial content. I-194 also does not apply to the state of Montana, political subdivisions, individuals, political committees, or public corporations.
YES on Initiative I-194
NO on Initiative I-194
Copied word for word from the Secretary of State's official ballot-language PDF. The PDF prints the YES and NO choices as shown. The official Voter Information Pamphlet (with fiscal note and arguments) has not been checked.
Latest news
Recent reporting from a range of outlets, newest first. We link to it; we don't endorse it.
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Full text of the measure
Creates the Montana Plan Act, a new chapter in Title 35 (corporations and other entities) of the Montana Code. Takes effect January 1, 2027 if approved. Read it in the Secretary of State ballot issue file (PDF) .
Read more
- Montana Secretary of State: 2026 ballot issues
- Montana Free Press: your guide to Montana's 2026 ballot initiatives
- Daily Montanan (via News From the States): I-194 seeks to remove dark money
- Secretary of State: I-194 text (PDF)
We link to analysis from several sources; we don't endorse it.